This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Instrument clusters on automobiles generally include numerous gauges for displaying operation information such as vehicle speed, engine RPM, engine coolant temperature, fuel tank level, and many other types of information. The gauges may include analog or digital displays for displaying the information depending on the gauge manufacturer and styling preferences. An analog gauge typically includes a faceplate having indicia or symbols (e.g., numerals, graduations, or other symbols) and a pointer for moving and pointing to one of the symbols. Thus, the pointer can distinguish the symbol from the others for indicating the corresponding condition of the vehicle. For instance, in the case of a speedometer, the faceplate can include thereon a number of numbers representing vehicle speeds, and the pointer can move relative to the faceplate until the pointer reaches the symbol corresponding to the actual vehicle speed. As such, the gauge can visually indicate the actual vehicle speed to the driver.
One important design consideration for an instrument cluster and related gauges is the ability of driver to quickly and easily view and read the gauges in all driving environments. For instance, gauges can include lights that emit light for illuminating the gauge.